THE ARTICLE

The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly referred to as HP, is a multinational information technology corporation. Its products include computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company was founded in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California. One of their first customers was Walt Disney Studios, which bought HP equipment to test an innovative sound system for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men tossed a coin to decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard won the toss but chose to put his friend’s name first. HP markets its products to individual consumers, small- to medium-sized businesses and office-supply retailers. It has over 300,000 staff worldwide and generates an annual revenue in excess of $100 billion.

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WARM UPS

1. BRAINSTORM CHAT: Write all the words you can think of about Hewlett-Packard on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).

2. HEWLETT-PACKARD MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Hewlett-Packard. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.

3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Hewlett-Packard. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.

4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Hewlett-Packard and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.

5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Hewlett-Packard. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.

6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Hewlett-Packard. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.

LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

The Hewlett-Packard Company, ____________________ HP, is a multinational information technology corporation. Its products include computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company ____________________ by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California. One ____________________ was Walt Disney Studios, which bought HP equipment to test ____________________ system for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men ____________________ decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard ____________________ chose to put his friend’s name first. HP markets its products to individual consumers, small- ____________________ businesses and office-supply retailers. It has over 300,000 staff worldwide and generates an annual ____________________ $100 billion.

CORRECT THE SPELLING

The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly rrefeder to as HP, is a multinational information technology corporation. Its products elcnudi computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company was dfdnueo in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California. One of their first coemtussr was Walt Disney Studios, which bought HP eeunqpimt to test an innovative sound ytsmse for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men stsoed a coin to decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard won the toss but chose to put his friend’s name first. HP eatmkrs its products to individual consumers, small- to medium-sized businesses and office-plpsuylesaerirt. It has over 300,000 staff worldwide and generates an annual revenue in excess of $100 billion.

UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly referred to as HP, is a multinational information technology corporation. Its products include computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company was founded in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California. One of their first customers was Walt Disney Studios, which bought HP equipment to test an innovative sound system for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men tossed a coin to decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard won the toss but chose to put his friend’s name first. HP markets its products to individual consumers, small- to medium-sized businesses and office-supply retailers. It has over 300,000 staff worldwide and generates an annual revenue in excess of $100 billion.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the hewlett-packard company commonly referred to as hp is a multinational information technology corporation its products include computers printers scanners cameras mobile phones and televisions the company was founded in 1939 by stanford university classmates bill hewlett and dave packard in a garage in palo alto california one of their first customers was walt disney studios which bought hp equipment to test an innovative sound system for the movie ‘fantasia’ the two men tossed a coin to decide the name of the company  hewlettpackard or packard-hewlett dave packard won the toss but chose to put his friend’s name first hp markets its products to individual consumers small- to medium-sized businesses and office-supply retailers it has over 300000 staff worldwide and generates an annual revenue in excess of $100 billion

CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly .......... (refer) to as HP, .......... (be) a multinational information technology corporation. Its products .......... (include) computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company .......... (be) founded in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage in Palo Alto, California. One of their first customers .......... (be) Walt Disney Studios, which .......... (buy) HP equipment to test an innovative sound system for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men .......... (toss) a coin to decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard .......... (win) the toss but .......... (choose) to put his friend’s name first. HP markets its products to individual consumers, small- to medium-sized businesses and office-supply retailers. It .......... (have) over 300,000 staff worldwide and .......... (generate) an annual revenue in excess of $100 billion.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

The Hewlett-Packard Company, ____________ referred to as HP, is a multinational information technology corporation. Its products ____________ computers, printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones and televisions. The company was ____________ in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a ____________ in Palo Alto, California. One of their first customers was Walt Disney Studios, which bought HP equipment to test an innovative sound ____________ for the movie ‘Fantasia’. The two men ____________ a coin to decide the name of the company  HewlettPackard or Packard-Hewlett. Dave Packard won the toss but ____________ to put his friend’s name first. HP markets its products to ____________ consumers, small- to medium-sized businesses and office-supply ____________. It has over 300,000 staff worldwide and generates an annual revenue in ____________ of $100 billion.

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PROJECT HEWLETT-PACKARD

Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Hewlett-Packard. Complete this table with your project partner(s):

Main products

How to improve them

A brand new ‘killer’ product

How Hewlett-Packard is better than the competition

How to beat the competition

Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:

Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.

HEWLETT-PACKARD  ROLE PLAY 1

Role A  Hewlett-Packard CEO

You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green  it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.

Role B  Hewlett-Packard worker

You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.

Role C  Hewlett-Packard customer

You are a customer of Hewlett-Packard. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.

Role D  A journalist

You keep hearing bad things about Hewlett-Packard. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.

HEWLETT-PACKARD  ROLE PLAY 2

Role A  Hewlett-Packard New Products Director

You have created a new product for Hewlett-Packard. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Hewlett-Packard.

Role B  Hewlett-Packard Marketing Director

You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.

Role C  Hewlett-Packard Market Researcher

You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.

Role D  Hewlett-Packard Shareholder

You know a lot about Hewlett-Packard’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Hewlett-Packard. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Hewlett-Packard. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. HEWLETT-PACKARD POSTERMake a poster about Hewlett-Packard. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY HEWLETT-PACKARD LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Hewlett-Packard. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.